Wire-stretcher



(No Model.)

G. W. HUGHS. WIRE STRETCHER.

No. 518,406. Patented Apr. 17, 1894.`

| lmoanAPmNu COMPANY.

w ra D c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. HUGHS, OF FORT. WORTH, TEXAS.

WIRE-STRETOHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 518,406, dated April 17, 1894.

Application iiled September 30, 1893. Serial No. 486,885. (No model.)

.To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. HUGHs, a citizen of the United States, residing at- Fort Worth,in the county of Tarrant and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Wire- Stretcher, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Theinvention relates to improvements in wire stretchers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of wire stretchers, and-to provi-de a simple and inexpensive one, which may be readily employed for taking up the slack of a fence wire at a point between fence posts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a de vice, which will be also capable of cutting Wire, loosening and drawing staples,

and the like.

The invention consists in the construction and no vel combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings-v-Figure l is a perspective view 0f a'wire stretcher constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, the wire cutting recesses being arranged to receive the wire.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures of the drawings.

l and 2 designate similar members of a wire stretcher pivoted together, and constituting apair of tongs, and each consisting of a curved jaw 3 and a shank 4. The curved jaws have V-shaped recesses or claws, and `are oppositely beveled to enable the jaws to pass each other readily a short distance, in order firmly to grip a wire. The pivot 5, which secures the members l and 2 together, also serves as the means for attaching a pivoted longitudinally disposed rack bar 6, which is provided at its inner end with an enlarged perforated head toreceive the pivot 5. The rack-bar is arranged midway between the jaws, and is provided with a series of outwardly shouldered teeth 7, any one of which is adapted to engage a fence wire, which should be arranged iu the recesses or claws of the outer ends of the jaws, when the latter are spread,

whereby when the jaws are closed upon said wire a loop will be formed, which may be readily twisted by turning the wire stretcher. The series of teeth enable loops of different sizes to be made to regulate the tension of the wire, and to avoid a great amount of twist- Y ing. One of the Shanks is provided at its outer end with a hook, and the other is provided with a clawv to enable staples to be readily loosened and remo ved.

The jaws are provided adjacent to the pivot with wire receiving recesses 8, adaptedfor the reception of a wire when they register and designed to be moved away from each other by turning the members l and 2 on the pivot 5 to cut a wire.

It will be seen that the device is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, and that it is capable of readily stretching a fence wire at an intermediate point between fence posts to the desired tension.

Changes in the form, proportion, andthe p lminor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacriticing any of the advantages of this invention.

l. A wire stretcher comprising a pair of pivoted members provided with oppositely disposed jaws, and a rack bar carried by th'e members and arranged between the jaws and provided with a series of teeth, substantially as described.

2. A wire stretcher comprising a pair of similar members each provided with a jaw and having a shank, a pivot connecting the members, and a longitudinally disposed rack bar provided at its inner'end with an open; ing to receive said pivot and extending outward therefrom and arranged between the jaws and provided with a series of teeth, sub- GEORGE W. HUGHS.

Witnesses:

J. G. WILLIAMs, M. J. BROTHERTON. 

